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Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against MasTec Advanced Technologies to Enforce the Employment Rights of Army Reserve Member

The department filed a lawsuit in federal court in West Virginia alleging that MasTec Advanced Technologies willfully violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 by discriminating against a U.S. Army Reserve member on the basis of his military service and by failing to offer Burress an appropriate reemployment position when he returned from military service.



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North Carolina Poultry Processing Plant and Manager Indicted for Violations of Clean Water Act

A federal grand jury in Greensboro, N.C., returned an indictment today charging a poultry processor and a plant manager with multiple violations of the Clean Water Act for illegally discharging wastewater from its Raeford, N.C., based facility



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United States Transfers a Guantanamo Bay Detainee to France

Late last night, Sabir Lahmar, a native of Algeria, was transferred to the government of France.



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United States Transfers a Guantanamo Bay Detainee to Hungary

Late last night, a detainee originally from the West Bank was transferred to the government of Hungary.



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Virginia Investment Firm Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy with Attorney and KPMG Tax Partner in Tax Shelter Case

Michael Parker of Baltimore, who was the chief operating officer of TransCapital Corporation, a tax-advantaged investments company based in Northen Virginia, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Newark, New Jersey, Public Schools to Enforce the Employment Rights of U.S. Naval Reservist

The department announced today that it has entered into a consent decree with the Newark Public Schools (NPS) that will resolve its lawsuit on behalf of George Lawton, a naval reservist, against NPS alleging it violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).



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Los Angeles’ Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Pays $3 Million to Settle Kickback Allegations

The Kerlan Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic, a sports medicine clinic in Los Angeles, has agreed to pay the United States $3 million to settle allegations that it received illegal kickbacks from HealthSouth Corporation.



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Justice Department Asks Court to Authorize Service of a John Doe Summons Seeking the Identities of U.S. Clients of R. Allen Stanford’s Investment Companies

The department has filed papers seeking a federal court order authorizing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to serve a “John Doe summons” on Ralph Janvey, the court-appointed receiver of the Stanford Group Company (SGC) and related entities.



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Army Officer, Wife and Relatives Sentenced in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to DOD Contracts in Support of Iraq War

John L. Cockerham, 43, a major in the U.S. Army, was sentenced to 210 months in prison.



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Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced for Roles in International Money Laundering Scheme Involving Online Sales

Two Bulgarian nationals have been sentenced in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia for their roles as money launderers for a transnational criminal group based in Eastern Europe, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.



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Justice Department Releases Video Explaining Federal Protections Against Immigration-Related Discrimination in the Workplace

The Department released a new video aimed at educating employers about worker rights and employer responsibilities under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act.



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Three South Carolina Men Plead Guilty to Federal Civil Rights and Carjacking Charges

Thomas Howard Blue Sr., Thomas Howard Blue Jr. and Judson Hartley Talbert pleaded guilty today in federal court in Florence, S.C., to charges relating to the assault of an African-American man and two white men in December 2007.



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Two Florida Executives, One Florida Intermediary and Two Former Haitian Government Officials Indicted for Their Alleged Participation in Foreign Bribery Scheme

Two Florida executives of a Miami-Dade County-based telecommunications company, the president of Florida-based Telecom Consulting Services Corp., and two former Haitian government officials were charged in an indictment unsealed today for their alleged roles in a foreign bribery, wire fraud and money laundering scheme.



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U.S. Settles with Itochu Corp. and Itochu International Regarding Defective Bullet-Proof Vests

The United States has reached a $6.75 million settlement with Itochu Corp. of Japan and its American subsidiary, Itochu International Inc., to resolve claims under the False Claims Act in connection with the companies’ importation and sale of defective Zylon fiber used as the key ballistic material in bullet-proof vests purchased by the United States for federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies.



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District of Columbia Seafood Company, Two Employees Charged with Purchasing Illegally Harvested Striped Bass

A Washington, D.C., fish wholesaler and two of its employees have been charged in U.S. District Court in Maryland for the purchase of illegally harvested striped bass, commonly referred to as rockfish, from the Potomac River from 1995 through 2007.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with City of Atlanta to Ensure Civic Access for Persons with Disabilities

“Civic access is a basic and critical civil right, and it ensures individuals with disabilities can play productive, fulfilling roles in their communities,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.



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Four Arkansas Men Sentenced on Civil Rights Charges in Cross Burning Conspiracy

Jacob Wingo, Clayton Morrison, Darren McKim and Richard Robins were sentenced today and yesterday in federal court in Hot Springs, Ark., on federal civil rights and obstruction of justice charges related to a conspiracy to drive a woman and her children from their home in Donaldson, Ark., because the victims associated with African-Americans.



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Syracuse Mortgage Underwriter to Pay United States Nearly $679,000 to Resolve Mortgage Fraud Allegations

Robert Corp, a mortgage underwriter in Syracuse, N.Y., has agreed to pay the United States close to $679,000 to settle allegations that he defrauded the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).



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Department Issues FOIA Annual Report in More Accessible Format as Part of the President’s Initiative on Transparency and Open Government

As a result of the new format, members of the public, including public interest organizations, scholars, and the media, will be able to more easily track FOIA performance.



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State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

Kevin M. Young, 42, was sentenced today to 12 months of probation for illegally accessing more than 125 confidential passport application files. Young was also ordered by U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay in the District of Columbia to perform 100 hours of community service.



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Polembros Shipping Ltd. Sentenced for Crimes Related to Pollution from Cargo Ship Traveling to New Orleans

Polembros Shipping LTD., a ship management company headquartered in Greece, was sentenced today in federal court in New Orleans to pay a $2.7 million criminal fine for violating anti-pollution laws, ship safety laws, and making false statements during a U.S. Coast Guard investigation of the M/V Theotokos, the Justice Department announced.



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Taiwan LCD Producer Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $220 Million Fine for Participating in LCD Price-Fixing Conspiracy

Companies directly affected by the LCD price-fixing conspiracy are some of the largest computer and television manufacturers in the world, including Apple, Dell and HP.



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United States Transfers One Guantanamo Bay Detainee to Kuwait

Fouad Mahmoud al-Rabiah, a Kuwaiti national, has been transferred from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay to the control of the government of Kuwait.



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Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Alleging Retaliation by City of Fort Pierce, Florida

“Our nation’s civil rights laws ensure that every individual can go to work each day without fear of discrimination based on the color of their skin,” said Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez.



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Largest Environmental Bankruptcy in U.S. History Will Result in Payment of $1.79 Billion Towards Environmental Cleanup & Restoration

As a result of the largest environmental bankruptcy in U.S. history, $1.79 billion has been paid to fund environmental cleanup and restoration under a bankruptcy reorganization of American Smelting and Refining Company LLC (ASARCO).



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Ft. Worth, Texas, Couple Charged with Holding Nigerian Woman in Domestic Servitude

A federal grand jury has indicted a Ft. Worth, Texas, husband and wife, Emmanuel and Ngozi Nnaji, on charges of engaging in a nine-year scheme to compel the labor of a Nigerian victim as their domestic servant.



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Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charges

A federal grand jury in Providence, R.I., has indicted an officer with the Woonsocket Police Department, charging him with violating the civil rights of a 16 year-old juvenile by physically assaulting him, as well as obstruction of justice.



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Statement of Associate Attorney General Thomas J. Perrelli Before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee of Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security Entitled "H.r. 1924, the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2009"

"The challenges facing law enforcement in tribal communities are enormous. The basic level of police protection that most Americans take for granted simply does not exist in many parts of Indian Country. We have a duty to change that."




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Physical Therapist, Money Launderer and Patient Recruiter Plead Guilty in Connection with Multiple Detroit Health Care Fraud Schemes

Detroit-area residents Baskaran Thangarasan, Sandeep Aggarwal and Wayne Smith pleaded guilty this week for their roles in connection with several Detroit-area health care fraud schemes.



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Former Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Participating in Scheme to Steal Large Quantities of Fuel from U.S. Army in Iraq

Robert Jeffery, 55, a former master chief petty officer in the U.S. Navy, was sentenced today to four years in prison for his participation in a scheme to steal approximately 10 million gallons of fuel from the U.S. Army in Iraq, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride.



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Ninth Person Pleads Guilty to Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

A ninth individual pleaded guilty today to illegally accessing numerous confidential passport application files, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division announced.



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Presidential Task Force on Controlled Unclassified Information Releases Report and Recommendations

Attorney General Holder and Secretary Janet Napolitano announced two major steps in their efforts to implement reforms to enhance information sharing among federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and safeguard sensitive information used by the government—designed to expand joint capabilities to protect the United States from terrorist activity, violent crime and other threats to the homeland.



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Los Angeles Area Tax Preparer Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Violating Injunction

James A. Mattatall of Torrance, Calif., was sentenced to six months in prison for violating a permanent injunction.



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University of Phoenix Settles False Claims Act Lawsuit for $67.5 Million

University of Phoenix has agreed to pay the United States $67.5 million to resolve allegations that its student recruitment policies violated the False Claims Act.



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Former State Department Employee Sentenced for Illegally Accessing Confidential Passport Files

Karal Busch, 28, of District Heights, Md., was sentenced today to 24 months of probation for illegally accessing more than 65 confidential passport application files.



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Virginia Resident Charged with Conspiring to Bribe Former Panamanian Government Officials for Maritime Contract

A federal grand jury has charged a Virginia Beach, Va., resident with conspiracy to pay bribes to former Panamanian government officials to secure maritime contracts.



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Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, Christine Varney, Issues Statement on European Commission Microsoft Settlement

“The Antitrust Division commends the efforts of the European Commission and Microsoft Corporation, which have announced that they have reached a comprehensive settlement resolving their disputes under European competition law."



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Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with Intellitec Colleges

The department announced a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with Intellitec Colleges in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Pueblo, Colo., to ensure access to its technical colleges for individuals with disabilities.



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Justice Department Signs Agreement with Santa Rosa, California, to Ensure Civic Access for People with Disabilities

The department announced an agreement with Santa Rosa, Calif., to improve access to all aspects of civic life for persons with disabilities.



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Credit Suisse Agrees to Forfeit $536 Million in Connection with Violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and New York State Law

The forfeiture is the largest ever entered against an entity for IEEPA violations.



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Former Kansas Businessman Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Role in Scheme to Defraud Federal E-rate Program

Leonard Douglas “Doug” LaDuron also was ordered to pay $238,607 in restitution.



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Attorney General Eric Holder at a Press Conference Announcing the Credit Suisse Resolution

"The U.S. financial system is built on trust and transparency. Our banks must know what payments they are processing and for whom. Credit Suisse’s decades-long scheme to flout the rules that govern our financial institutions robbed our system of the legitimacy that is fundamental to it success."




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Guyanese National Charged with Smuggling Indian Nationals to the United States

Annita Devi Gerald, aka Annita Rampersad, 52, was charged in a nine-count indictment returned yesterday by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Texas.



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Three New York City Home Health Agencies Pay $9.7 Million to the United States to Settle False Claims Act Claims

The United States and the state of New York have entered into settlement agreements with three home health agencies to resolve allegations that they submitted false claims to the New York Medicaid and Medicare programs.



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Texas Man Sentenced to 292 Months in Prison for Advertising and Possessing Child Pornography

Mark Edwin Cairnes, 51, was sentenced today to 292 months in prison and lifetime supervised release following his prison term for advertising and possessing child pornography.



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Three Detroit-Area Residents Plead Guilty to Health Care Fraud

Jackson, Mich., resident Terrence Hicks and Detroit residents Muhammed Al Mahdi and John Saunders pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan this week for their roles in a $4.2 million Medicare fraud scheme.



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Roanoke, Virginia, Neo-Nazi Convicted for Threats, Witness Intimidation

William A. “Bill” White, the self-proclaimed commander of the neo-Nazi group the American National Socialist Workers Party, was convicted by a federal jury for threatening three individuals and for attempting to intimidate litigants in a federal housing discrimination lawsuit.



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United States Transfers 12 Guantanamo Bay Detainees to Afghanistan, Yemen and the Somaliland Region

These transfers were carried out under individual arrangements between the United States and relevant foreign authorities to ensure the transfers took place under appropriate security measures.



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Duke Energy to Spend Approximately $93 Million to Resolve Clean Air Act Violations

“This important settlement resolves lengthy litigation on very favorable terms,” said Ignacia S. Moreno, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.



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Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling to the Philippines for Sex Tourism

Donald Mathias of Davie, Fla., pleaded guilty today to engaging in sex tourism in the Philippines.



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